Roscoe neighbors want tax hike to better Kinnikinnick schools

ROSCOE - A group of residents is trying to convince neighbors to support a 12.5 percent property tax increase for the schools.

If approved, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay $207.41 more in property taxes to the Kinnikinnick School District during the next two years. The increases would be phased in, about $100 in 2014 and $100 in 2015.

The goal is to infuse an additional $2.6 million into the district's budget to put an end to staff cuts and pay freezes, and to reduce class sizes.

The district is at the point that further cuts could do serious damage to the quality of education children receive, referendum committee Chairman Chuck Johnson said.

"It's tough to find public entities that spend tax dollars as efficiently as ours does," he said. "Even if you don't have kids in schools up here, there's value in maintaining the value of our schools. Our property values have held up much better than other areas of the county. Our school district plays a role in that."

Empty by 2016

It's going to take a community effort to pass the referendum, Johnson said. That's why he and others have formed the referendum committee.

They plan to host an informational meeting Thursday for area property owners.

The last time the district asked for a tax increase was in 2003; it was shot down.

Kinnikinnick's 2012 property tax rate of 3.3 percent is the lowest of 11 public school districts in Winnebago County. The proposal would put the district's new rate more in line with neighboring districts' rates: 3.7 percent in 2014, 4.17 percent in 2015 and 4.5 percent in 2016.

The district has lost about $3 million in state and federal revenues since 2008, officials said. After years of deficit spending, they expect cash reserves to be empty by 2016.

30-student classes

Kinnikinnick is made up of Ledgewood Elementary School for prekindergarten through first grade, Stone Creek School for second and third grades, Kinnikinnick School for fourth and fifth, and Roscoe Middle School for sixth through eighth grades.

Students who test at or above state standards represent at least 75 percent of the students at Stone Creek, Kinnikinnick and Roscoe Middle. Ledgewood does not participate in state testing because its students are too young.

Classrooms that used to hover around the state average, 21 students apiece, are closer to 26. Some have as many as 29 students.